Rotating magnetic reed switch



y 1964 F. G. M. VRIENS 3,133,173

ROTATING MAGNETIC REED SWITCH Filed July 12, 1961 lrwenlor FL 0/905 5.M. wens/vs ww/am Attorney United States Patent 3,133,173 ROTATINGMAGNETIC REED SWITCH Florus G. M. Vriens, Antwerp, Belgium, assignor toInternational Standard Electric Corporation, New York,

N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed July 12, 1961, Ser. No. 123,553Claims priority, application Belgium July 15, 1960 9 Claims. (Cl.200-87) The invention relates to a rotating magnet switch including amagnet having a circular translation movement, and magneticallysensitive members arranged along the trajectory described by said magnetand operating upon the passage of the latter magnet in their proximity.

In the already existing device of this kind, the magnet (or each of themagnets having said circular movement) acts alone on said magneticallysensitive member. In this case, the action of the magnet on said memberin function of its relative position with respect to this member israther progressive so that, if it is for instance desired to operate amagnetic blade contact during a small portion of the trajectory of themagnet, it is necessary to mount said contact at a relatively largedistance from said trajectory, but in this case the operation becomesuncertain.

The object of the present invention is to render more sharp the startand the end of the magnetic action of the magnet on said contact, so asto be able to approach these two limits of action, while realizing afree and safe action between these limits.

According to a characteristic of the invention, small auxiliary magnetsare arranged in front and behind the main electromagnet and have theirmagnetic poles arranged in a sense opposite to that of said main magnet.

The joining of these antagonistic auxiliary magnets permits to reach'theobject cited above.

The above mentioned and other objects and features of the invention willbecome more apparent and the invention itself will be best understood byreferring to the following description of embodiments taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective schematic view of a switch according to theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the non-magnetic rotating parts serving asa support for the various magnets;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the parts shown in FIG. 2 and on whichmagnets are fixed, and

FIG. 4 is a side view of a particular embodiment of a magnetic bladecontact support.

In its preferred embodiment, the switch according to the inventionincludes two superposed rings 1 and 2, secured to a frame by suitableconventional means (not represented). These rings are used to supportmagnetic blade contacts, 'as will be explained further.

Co-axially to these rings is mounted a shaft 3 carrying the non-magneticframe represented in FIG. 2. Part 4 is fixed on shaft 3 by any suitablemeans, while part 5 may be mounted on top of the upper part of part 4until surfaces 6 and 7 come into contact.

The main magnet 8 as Well as an auxiliary magnet 9 are secured to part 4as shown in FIG. 3 and at a suitable distance from each other, whereas asecond auxiliary magnet 10 is fixed on part 5. After the parts 4 and 5have been assembled, the three magnets are located next to each other asshown on FIG. 1.

Part 5 is secured to part 4 by two screws 11 and 12 passing throughbutton-holes 13 and 14, arranged on a circle are which is concentricalto the part, and screwed in the threaded holes :15 and 16 in the part 4.This assembly thus permits to slightly modify the distance between themain magnet 8 and the auxiliary magnet 10,

3,133,173 Patented May 12, 1964 action of the main magnet on the contactblades 17 are more sharp than no oppositely directed field would bepresent at the ends of the main magnet. This permits to shorten thecourse of the main magnet necessary to the operation of the contact,while it simultaneously ensures a free and safe action during thisoperation. In the case of a single magnet, if the dimension of themagnet is reduced to shorten said course, or else if the distancebetween the contact and the trajectory of the magnet is increased forthe same purpose, the magnetic action of the magnet on the contactblades remains at the limit of operation, and the latteroperationbecomes uncertain. The shortening of the course is moreoveralso limited due to the difference existing between the intensity of thefield necessary to cause the contact to be brought in its work positionand the intensity of the field at the moment of release. With the abovedescribed device, the drawbacks of such a difference of field isconsiderably reduced Each of the auxiliary magnets 9 and 10 must ofcourse have an insufficient action to operate separately the contactblades 17. As already mentioned above the rings 1 and 2 serve as asupport for the magnetic blade contacts which are preferably mounted insealed tubes, such as 29. To do this, each contact blade 17 is mountedin an individual support (FIG. 4) constituted by an insulated plate 18at the ends of which U-shaped metallic terminals 19 and 20 are fixed.One branch of each of these terminals serves for holding the outer endsof one of the contact blades 17, Whereas the other branch moreovercomprises a terminal for connecting an electrical wire thereto. Theinsulating plate 18 is secured to one armof an L-shaped bracket 21, theother arm of which is fixed on the upper part of piece 22 by a screw 23engaged in an open buttonhole 24. The lower arm of the piece 22 has athicker part 25 which is located between the rings 1 and 2 at the insidethereof, whereas a piece 26 also having a thicker part 28, is locatedbetween the rings 1 and 2 at the outside thereof and serves as a supportfor the head of screw 27 which passes through it in order to be screwedin part 25 of piece 22, thus rigidly holding the latter piece againstthe rings 1 and 2.

The described device thus permits a certain number of such individualsupports to be arranged around the shaft 3 and to adjust the angularposition of each of them. The button-hole 24 moreover permitsto adjustthe distance between the contacts 17 and the trajectory of the magnet 8in order to realize an accurate adjustment of the operation of thecontact.

While the principles of the invention have been described above =inconnection with specific apparatus, it is to be clearly understood thatthis description is made only by way of example and not as a limitationon the scope of the invention.

I claim: 1. A rotating magnetic switch comprising: a main magnet havingthe opposite magnetic poles disposed with a given magnetic polarity in agiven line;

first and second auxiliary magnets disposed on opposite sides of saidmain magnet, the opposite magnetic poles of said auxiliary magnets beingdisposed with a. magnetic polarity opposite said given magnetic polarityin lines parallel to said given line;

means to rotate said main magnet and said auxiliary magnets about anaxis parallel to said given line, said means to rotate including meansto adjust the spacing between said main magnet and at least one of saidauxiliary magnets; and

first and second discs of nonmagnetic material secured to said shaft;

a main magnet disposed between said discs, the opposite magnetic polesof said main magnet being disposed with a given magnetic polarity in aline parallel to said shaft;

first and second auxiliary magnets disposed between said discs onopposite sides of said main magnet and in spaced relation thereto, theopposite magnetic poles of said auxiliary magnets being disposed with amagnetic polarity opposite said given magnetic polarity in linesparallel to said shafts; and

at least one magnetically responsive switching member disposed in an,inductive coupling relationship with said magnets once during eachrotation of said magnets.

3. A switch according to claim 2, wherein said discs include adjustablefastening means to adjust the spacing between said main magnet and atleast one of said auxiliary magnets.

4. A switch according to claim 2, further including means to adjust theradial distance between said switching member and said magnets.

5. A switch according to claim 2, wherein said auxiliary magnets have amagnetic field strength less than the magnetic field strength of saidmain magnet.

' 6. A rotating magnetic switch comprising a circular frame, a rotordisposed for rotation within said frame, said rotor including a circulartop plate composed of nonmagnetic material, a circular bottom membercomposed of nonmagnetic material, a main magnet, a first auxiliarymagnet, and a second auxiliary magnet, said bottom member having acircular recess to receive said magnets, said main magnet and said firstauxiliary magnet being disposed in said recess and fixed to said bottommember, said second auxiliary magnet being disposed in said recess andfixed to said top plate, said top plate being mounted on top of saidbottom member, all three of said magnets being gripped between said topplate and said bottom member, adjustable fastening means connecting saidtop plate to said bottom member to permit the angular position of saidtop plate and said second auxiliary magnet to be adjusted relative tosaid bottom member and said main magnet, all three of said magnets beingdisposed so that the opposite poles of each magnet lie along a lineparallel to the axis of rotation of said rotor, each pole of said mainmagnet being disposed adjacent to the pole of opposite magnetic sense ofeach said auxiliary magnet, at least one support member mounted on saidframe, at least one magnetically actuatable switch, one switch disposedin each said support member, each said support member having a plateholding one said switch and an L-shaped bracket having two arms, saidplate being secured to a first arm of said bracket, the second arm ofsaid bracket having a buttonhole which is traversed by a screw securingsaid bracket to said support member, said buttonhole being arrangedradially with respect to the axis of said rotor, so that the radialdistance between each said switch and said rotor may be adjusted.

7. A magnetic switch according to claim 6 wherein each said supportmember includes an F-shaped piece which grips said frame, said framehaving two parallel circular rings disposed one above the other, saidF-shaped piece fitting between and gripping said rings, means to clampsaid F-shaped piece to said rings, whereby each said support member maybe located at. any selected circumferential position on said circularframe.

8. A magnetic switch according to claim 7 wherein each said switch isdisposed on said plate of said support member substantially parallel tothe axis of rotation of said rotor.

9. A magnetic switch according to claim 8 wherein each of said auxiliarymagnets has a magnetic field strength substantially less than themagnetic field strength of said main magnet.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,269,242 Baake Ian. 6, 1942 2,922,994 Kennedy Jan. 26, 1960 2,929,896Ronning Mar. 22, 1960 2,932,699 Reese -Q Apr. 12, 1960 2,999,914Stanaway Sept. 12, 1961

1. A ROTATING MAGNETIC SWITCH COMPRISING: A MAIN MAGNET HAVING THEOPPOSITE MAGNETIC POLES DISPOSED WITH A GIVEN MAGNETIC POLARITY IN AGIVEN LINE; FIRST AND SECOND AUXILIARY MAGNETS DISPOSED ON OPPOSITESIDES OF SAID MAIN MAGNET, THE OPPOSITE MAGNETIC POLES OF SAID AUXILIARYMAGNETS BEING DISPOSED WITH A MAGNETIC POLARITY OPPOSITE SAID GIVENMAGNETIC POLARITY IN LINES PARALLEL TO SAID GIVEN LINE; MEANS TO ROTATESAID MAIN MAGNET AND SAID AUXILIARY MAGNETS ABOUT AN AXIS PARALLEL TOSAID GIVEN LINE, SAID MEANS TO ROTATE INCLUDING MEANS TO ADJUST THESPACING BETWEEN SAID MAIN MAGNET AND AT LEAST ONE OF SAID AUXILIARYMAGNETS; AND AT LEAST ONE MAGNETICALLY RESPONSIVE SWITCHING MEMBERDISPOSED IN AN INDUCTIVE COUPLING RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID MAGNETS ONCEDURING EACH ROTATION OF SAID MAGNETS.